Process of producing porous material



' mmm Filed Dec.

PROCESS OF PRODUGING POROUS MATERIAL @et 23, i923.

Inventor', j Mathlas @vrom 'S em,

By i" Patented ct. 23, 1923.

arrasy stares MATHIAS OVROM.' SEM, OF CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, ASSIGNOR TO DET NORSKE AK- TIESELSKAB ELEKTROKEMISK INDUSTRI, F CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, A BUSI- NESS ENTITY OIE NORWAY.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING POROUS MATERIAL.

`Application led December 16, 1919i Serial No. 345,445.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIAS OvRoM SEM, a subject of Norway, and a resident of the city of Christiania, Kingdom of Norway, Vhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Porous Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to porous materials and more particularly to that type of porous materials which is used vas or in the manufacture of building materials and for insulating purposes.

The object of the inventionis a process whereby such materials can be manufactured from molten slags.

Various products have hereto-fore been produced from molten slag, such as slagwool and granulated slag, but the product obtained according to my present invention differs from those hitherto known in that it is homogeneous and porous throughout its whole mass. It may further be cast in moulds and ma consequently be produced in ang desired s ape. I o tain this result by treating a molten slag with water and effecting rapidly an intimate mixture. This will resultJ in a foam which will float on the slag and may be removed in any suitable manner and cast in moulds or cooled in other ways. The good result which is obtained according to my invention is, I believe, due to the special treatment of the melt with water. Similar results will not be obtained by the use of steam or gases instead of water. I can, however, employ water together with steam or gases which give an effect similar to-that of water alone.

I can use various raw materials for my process and the method of working will vary according to the raw materials used and the nal product desired.

In the following specific illustration I l5 give an example of the preferred way of carrying out my process reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application in which Fig. l is a sectional View of the apparatus preferably 0 employed.

In the specific example chosen for illustration I make use of a slag having the following approximate analysis z-f Per cent.

y I melt this slag by heating it in any commonly known suitable type of electric furnace to approximately 1400 C. I continuously lead this molten slag through a channel 5 into a container 6, which ismade of refractory material capable of withstanding the slag. The container is provided with a stirrer, which consists of a double tube 7 having cross-pieces 8,* 9, 10 and 11 also consisting of double tubes. The cross-pieces of the stirrer when rotated by means 0f bevelled gears 12 and 13- and pulley 14 will pass between similar double tube cross-pieces l5, 16, 17 and 18, mounted on a double tube 19 in the wall of the container 6. All of the double tubes are water cooled. The water is introduced'through pipes 20 and 21, and leaves the system through tubes 22 and 23. lI'he double tubes will allow the water to enter through the Ainner tube and return through the outer tube thus cooling the stirring apparatus. I introduce water into the container through a pipe 24 at the same time that the stirrer is rotated. The water will immediately evaporate when touching the hot slag anda foam will be formed which will rise to the top of the contamer 6 and continuously passes out through an overflow 25. I regulate the amount of water introduced through the pipe 2li soas to give the foam a temperature of approximatelyt1000 C; From the overflow 25 the foam will fall into a series of cast iron moulds 32 passing slo-wly under the overflow on a conveyer. The moulds will thus be filled with porous material which is gradually cooled od. It will keep the structure of the foam untilafter it is solidified. As a result of my process I thus obtain solid porous pieces having the .shape of the mould employed. The specific gravity .of my product may vary within wide l1m1ts, say from 0.7 to 0.07, but when working according to labove example it will average 0.5. My product is porous all through, in which respect it diers from other products heretofore produced from molten slags and this quality imparts to my product a great insulating power on account of the numerous pores and cavities iilled with air or other gases.

ll can use my product either in the form of bricks or crushed to the size of coke. lin the latter case it is suitable for use as a llingimaterial in walls and the like.

The above example has been given for clearness oit understanding only and no undue limitation should be deduced therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

What ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is:

1. The process of producing a porous material from molten slag, which comprises introducing water therein and rapidly forming an intimate mixture where'b a loam is produced, removing the foam in liquid state and cooling the same to solidi lication whereby the foam structure is preserved.

2. rll`he process of producing a porous material from molten slag, which comprises continuously leading the molten slag into a container and introducing water therein,

' subjecting the molten slag and the water to agitation whereby a foam is produced, removing the foam in a liquid state and cooling the samez to solidiication whereby the foam structure is preserved.

v3. llhe process of producing a porous material from molten slag, which comprises continuously leading the molten slag into a container and introducing water therein, subjecting the molten slag and the water to agitation whereby a foam is produced, continuously leading the foam in a liquid state into moulds and cooling the same to soliditication whereby the foam structure is preserved.

d. 'llhe process of, producing a porous material from molten slag, which comprises heating the slag to approximately 14l00 C.,

introducing water into the slag thus heated and rapidly forming an intimate mixture whereby a foam is produced, the introduction ot the water being regulated in such Learner manner that the temperature of the foam will be approximately 1000o C., removing the foam and cooling the saine to soliditication whereby the foam structure is preserved.

5. The process of roducing' a porous material' from molten sag, which comprises continuously leading the molten slag into a container at a temperature of approximately 1400o C., introducing water therein, subjecting the molten slag and the water to agitation whereby a foam is produced, the introduction of the water being regulated in such manner that the temperature 7. The process of reducing a porous material'trom molten s ag, which comprises continuously leading the molten slag into dll a container and introducing water and a f gas therein, subjecting the molten slag and the water to agitation whereby a foam is produced, continuously leading the foamin a liquid state into moulds and cooling the same to solidiication whereby the foam structure is preserved.

8. The process of producing a porous material from molten slag, which comprises continuously leading the molten slag into a container at a temperature ot approximately 14.00 C., introducing water and a gas therein, subjecting the molten slag and the water to agitationwhereby a foam is produced, the introduction of the water being regulated in such manner that the temperature of the foam will be approximately 1000 C., continuously leading the foam into moulds and cooling the same to solidification whereby the foam structure is preserved.

Signed at Christiania, Norway, this 23rd day oit December 1919.

' Marraine ovnoM een. 

